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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Law & Legal |
Question about law school (and life)...? |
I have a friend who is 31 years old and has a PhD in chemistry. She's considering attending law school (patent law) as it's something she's interested in. A few questions about this: 1. Will she likely feel out of place at the age of 31/32 in law school - just based on her age? 2. Is a PhD in chem a reasonable background for a career in patent law? Will it help in any way both in school as well as in her career? Will it be a hindrance of any sort? (Don't know why it would be but I thought I'd ask) 3. She has no children (is married) but would like children some day. She's concerned that going back to school (3-4 years) and then starting a new career will get in the way of having children (and vice versa). What are your thoughts on this? Thanks for the answers, all! Your friend is very lucky to have someone concerned about her welfare. I went back to law school at 40 years old while working as a Director of IT - took the 4 year evening division. 1. The majority of her fellow students will be in their mid-twenties, she will not be so different than the other students. However, from my experience I can tell you that there will be times when she will feel left out because of her age. She needs to expect it and to prepare herself for the fact that she will not be in the majority. Your friend also needs to look at law school as merely a hurdle to get over for the career she wants. Law school is not pleasant or fun like most of her previous education experiences. It is more like 3-4 years of heavy hazing from people who want to see you fail. 2. Her PhD is a very good background for patent law, it will help her in her career. BUT once she is in law school her prior degrees, her prior GPA, her prior work experience means nothing to the teachers -- all students are treated like dumb grunts who want to get a law license. She will have very few (2 or 3) classes in her field as most of law school is required courses for passing the bar exam. I can't say that her degree is a hinderance, BUT she may, like most successful people, expect teachers to be respectful of her -- they are not. Many of my law school teachers were almost resentful of my success in the business world and spoke to me like I was no more than s*** on their shoes. All that did was give me the resolve to get my law degree and pass the bar. 3. This is not PC -- do not get pregnant in law school, wait until the bar exam is over. My class had several pregnant people in it, all but one dropped out after the birth. The one who came back flunked out. Law school is too stressful and the workload is so heavy, you do not have time to deal with a new baby -- besides what the constant stress and pressure does to the baby. Once she takes the bar exam then she can think about babies. Law school is a serious committment and she needs to be able to put it first (yes, in front of family) for the 3 or 4 years she is trapped in the school. It is not for those who think it would be fun to be a lawyer, only those with the calling for law will survive. Go to www.abanet.org and look at the section for those interested in law school. Good luck. Source(s): Attorney since 1993 www.lawyer4employees.com 1, no not out of place law school is filled with people of all ages 2. PhD would be very helpful in patent law upon graduation she would be very desirable for certain firms 3. better have children when in law school, if she wants to make it in the legal field the first few years she will be working many hours close to 60 to 70 a week, if she does not want to work those hours there are many other people behind her willing to work those hours you will have no social life once you start working for a Law firm since she will be at the bottom of the ladder She wouldn't feel out of place at 31/32 in law school. Many people go to law school a little later in life. The PhD in Chem could help some in her career, although not likely in her law classes, but wouldn't be a hindrance there either. Having kids is the bigger issue. Fertility declines by someone's late 30's, so if she's planning to have them, now or the next few years would be good timing, although tough timing with law classes and then trying to get a new career going. If she gets a job with a company who applies for a lot of patents rather than a law firm, the hours shouldn't be awful. If she's working now in the chemical field, her current employer might be a place she could start. |
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